Bahrain seething over Qatar snatching its citizens

Manama has expressed concern over Qatar naturalizing Bahraini citizens, an Al Arabiya report said. The official BNA reported the Interior Ministry as saying that it could affect Bahrain’s national interests and security.

Manama has expressed concern over Qatar naturalizing Bahraini citizens[2], an Al Arabiya report said. The official BNA reported the Interior Ministry as saying that it could affect Bahrain’s national interests and security.

A ministry official said the decision was taken by Qatar[3] “to grant citizenship to members of certain Bahraini families after luring them with some advantages,” the BNA reported

Sheikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Interior Ministry undersecretary for nationality, passports and residence affairs, “expressed his confidence that Qatar would reconsider this stance, saying that the naturalization of Bahrainis would affect Bahrain’s national security and vital interests negatively,” the BNA reported.

He did not detail which Bahrainis were being sought, but our sister publication Asharq Al-Awsat reported Thursday that Qatar[4] was seeking to naturalize Bahraini Sunnis. Naturalizing Bahrain’s Sunni citizens could affect the country’s demographics.

Khalifa cited an agreement signed on April 17, 2014, of non-interference in the internal affairs of GCC member states. He said Bahrain[5] would work with other GCC countries to resolve the issue.